Industries
Healthcare
Nearly all clinical workflows use the network to interact with electronic medical record systems. Patient outcomes and safety rely on a secure, and highly optimized network infrastructure.
Patient care and safety is increasingly dependent upon technology. Nearly all clinical workflows now leverage a digital footprint. Patient-related data is stored in and retrieved from electronic medical record (EMR) platforms and IoT is proliferating healthcare at a rate that exceeds enterprise organizations. Infusion pumps, Wi-Fi-attached diagnostics and imaging, as well as patient and asset tracking devices are common. Network traffic analysis is a critical capability, allowing IT to ensure that life critical applications receive the resources needed to deliver world-class care while protecting from cybersecurity risks.
Plixer benefits
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Optimize clinical workflows
Over the last several years, healthcare has undergone a dramatic digital transformation, with clinical workflows, diagnostic images, and patient records now traversing the network. Caregivers rely upon the network to deliver positive patient outcomes, so IT’s ability to monitor, optimize, and secure it is critical. Lives literally depend upon it.
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Reduce risk from IoT devices
The number of IP-enabled medical devices is skyrocketing. From infusion pumps to robots that deliver medication, the network connects more devices than ever. Each of these devices introduces new threat surfaces and risks. The ability to proactively monitor these devices, baseline their normal activity, and identify anomalous behavior is paramount.
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Maintain and ensure compliance
Although HIPAA has been around for a long time, healthcare organizations are never finished worrying about it and implementing technology to comply. Protecting the confidentiality and privacy of patient data is a never-ending journey. The security and network teams must remain vigilant by monitoring all digital communications and detecting breaches and data theft quickly.
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Improve patient experience
Hospitals exist to care for people; however, they must do so while operating as a business. This creates a competition for patients. Doctor reputation is one differentiator, but patient experience can be equally important for why patients choose one hospital over another. Patient and visitor comfort are heavily influenced by their interaction with technology.
Reduce risk in life-critical environments
The healthcare industry is a frequent target of cyberattacks, including ransomware and data theft. Compliance mandates, intended to protect patient safety and ensure data privacy, mean that IT must follow best practices and demonstrate compliance with regular external audits. Proactive monitoring of every conversation traversing the network is a critical component of reducing risk, safeguarding medical records, protecting patient safety, and delivering world-class clinical care.
- Monitor network traffic for cybersecurity threats
- Ensure data privacy
- Leverage historical forensic data for efficient incident response
- Verify HIPAA policy enforcement
- Safeguard medical records
Network traffic analytics and HIPAA compliance
Network traffic analytics play an important role in demonstrating HIPAA compliance. Scrutinizer maintains a forensic database that includes contextual details of every digital communication. A quick search can quickly generate a report demonstrating whether written security and privacy policies were actually enforced. When auditors want proof of compliance, Scrutinizer provides the information you need.
Carilion Clinic case study
Carilion Clinic, a large not-for-profit healthcare organization in Virginia, was looking for a solution to monitor and optimize the network to support patient care. Specifically, they needed the ability to prioritize life-critical applications in a region where reduced bandwidth is not uncommon and anticipate the needs of new clinics as the organization continues to grow.
Capstone Rural Health case study
Capstone Rural Health, a non-profit, federally qualified health center in Alabama, was looking for a solution to enable a small IT staff to proactively secure, monitor, and optimize a multi-site network. Maintaining daily operations requires that IT wear many hats, which dilutes time spent on cybersecurity. Scrutinizer is an invaluable platform to optimize and secure the environment.
IoT in healthcare: managing the opportunity and the risk
It’s an exciting time in medicine. Technology is constantly making healthcare more accessible, more precise, and more convenient. For instance, IoT in healthcare can increase hospitals’ efficiency in many ways. But you should also be prepared for the risks it brings.
